The Fall of Rome
by willapedia
Summary: The story follows an alternate timeline that starts at the beginning of The Mark of Athena.


The Fall of Rome

Note: This takes place in an alternate universe during The Mark of Athena. I do not own any characters or anything. All other normal disclaimers apply. Please comment and tell me how I am doing.

Chapter 1: Octavian Victorious

"How do you plead?"

Octavian spoke from a praetor chair decorated in gold and other finery. Upon the throne he sat, although instead of looking regal like he wished, he seemed like an underfed chicken. From the height of the chair only his white teeth were distinct.

Below him was my sister, Reyna, who had been stripped of all her armor and given prisoner's rags. Despite this, she still appeared more regal than the pompous child who sat in his high chair, err, Octavian. Her eyebrows furrowed as she said, "Not Guilty!"

"You deny your guilt?"

"I'm pretty sure that is what my statement means, unless you want to rip up another teddy bear and double check."

"Might I remind you that we are in court!"

I could feel the blood rising from my feet to my cheeks. I instinctively reached my left hand across to my holster, and cussed silently after I remembered I was in New Rome. Octavian had better thank Terminus that I didn't have my gladius or he would be dead by now.

I chided myself on my recklessness, mother would expect her son to plan things out and to do them discretely and safely. Neglecting that, I cursed Percy Jackson and Jason Grace, and vowed to avenge my City.

Distracted in though, I had missed a large piece of Octavian's grandstanding. He might not be a child of Diana(Aphrodite), but he certainly seemed to have charmspeak abilities. I could see the idiotic senate being swayed by his every word. In some ways Octavian could rival Big Brother in his ability to deceive. He blamed my sister for everything, while overlooking every single accomplishment except those he wished to claim for himself. After a windy speech he allowed my sister to speak.

"A fairly nice rehearsed speech Octavian," Reyna said, just hiding her anger, "did you have to steal it from your books of poetry? You claim I knowingly allowed Greek spies to infiltrate our camp, yet I only allowed Percy Jackson in because you said the gods shined upon his future here. You remain convinced that he was always trying to undermine our power, yet he returned the source of our power, The Eagle. I say the harm he caused is negligible and his accomplishments prove that I was right in allowing him entrance."

" So you do not care that he was Greek!"

"According to you, he should have been allowed to join."

"I only divine what the gods wish me to divine, Percy must have found a way around that!" Octavian finished with a dramatic twirl of his hands. He began to rise, and descended the steps. Each foot step echoing around like thunder in the domed Senate House.

"Really, or was it your incompetence that drove you to divine the will of the gods wrong? What could you have done to anger the gods so much they would seek the fall of their greatest culture?"

Thwack! I leaped only to be restrained by my girlfriend Cynthia and best friend Henry. I looked up to see the red mark left on Reyna's cheek by the traitor. Reyna did not seem bothered by this, but the hatred in her eyes gave away her true feelings.

"Silence! You dare try to slander the savior of this camp! You dare insinuate that I have not served Rome!" Octavian roared. "I who sent our members on the most successful quests, I who single-handedly foretells the future. Like I said on the Feast of Fortuna, this will be a great year, yet I left out one piece in hopes that it was a trick. I foresaw you betraying us."

A hushed mummer was heard. Octavian was winning and I was powerless to stop him from getting Reyna punished, but I could stop her from being killed. I turned to Cynthia, grateful for her parentage and asked her to force the senate to convene after the elections. She smiled and did as I requested, boy was she a knock out.

"I think this matter should wait until after the election to ensure that the people's voices are heard."

I was relieved when I heard a mummer of agreement through the crowd and senate. That passed much to the chagrin of Octavian. Reyna was going to be held in a cell, and I was already planning her escape, that is until I heard Octavian speak again.

"In ancient Rome, in times of great peril, the Romans put their trust in a single person- a dictator for the lack of a better word. This person was the equivalent of a single praetor whose word was unquestioned until the senate said his power was broken. Great dictators include Julius Caesar among many. It is because of this, I ask to be elevated to the position until stability is seen in Rome. I can foresee the future and divine the will of the gods, no one is better suited. Like I said earlier, the camp is in for good fortune, but only after I ascend to a level of power!"

I whole-heatedly disagreed, I was quite sure I had seen a brain dead chipmunk that could match Octavian in every regard, except physically- that would take an average chipmunk. Yet the senate passed his measure and crowned Octavian dictator of Rome, and gave him control of the Eagle. I blacked out in anger to his laughter.


End file.
